PROJECT PAGANINI

These are some of the names that audiences and critics of the 19th century used to refer to Niccoló Paganini.

An infamous figure surrounded by debate and legend, both is his time and in ours, Paganini was a brilliant showman and a powerful innovator. Never before had a single musician generated so much intrigue across an entire continent as he did with his seemingly impossible feats of technique and his tour-de-force programs.

Today Paganini is most famous for his collection of 24 Caprices, though there is no record of him ever performing them. Each its own striking vignette, the caprices are innovative in their technical demands, the range of their harmonies, and their use of the violin's voice to set a scene or present a musical color.

Project Paganini is a performance project that challenges the typical classical music setting. I will perform all of Paganini's infamous 24 Caprices for solo violin in one evening in a multi-media setting, weaving together music, history, artistic expression, and universal human truths. Project Paganini is not just a recital; it is a production, a play, an educational adventure, and a personal journey for all.

Why? One: I love Paganini. I love these Caprices, his Concerti, and I'm fascinated by his persona- the facts and fables of his life. Two: I have long been enthralled by the impossible, and by playing all 24 Caprices I will prove that I can surmount the impossible- to others and to myself. Three: I want to revolutionize the traditional concert experience, offering a program that is fun, interesting, technologically stimulating, and accessible even to the uninformed listener.